>So you do not believe that the spinning propeller on the airplane would be >considered common knowlege in our modern 21st century society here in >the USA.

Jet engines are common here in the USA. But I still bet most people would be more comfortable in front of one than behind one. Knowing something exists does not equal knowing how to be safe around something.

You've posted how stupid such people are several times, as if intelligence was a defense against making a mistake. It's not. People walk into props for a multitude of reasons, and not all of them were "they were just too stupid to realize the prop was there." That's why working around an aircraft is not the same as working around a car.

If you are around something that can kill you,it would be smart to know where you are in relation to it at all times. As far as being stupid,stupid is as stupid does. I know,I've been guilty of being stupid,usually when booze was involved,but not always. How about you? Remember to check your 6. yawn................................snore................................................. scratching sound...............snore.....................

>So you do not believe that the spinning propeller on the airplane would be >considered common knowlege in our modern 21st century society here in >the USA.

Jet engines are common here in the USA. But I still bet most people would be more comfortable in front of one than behind one. Knowing something exists does not equal knowing how to be safe around something.

You've posted how stupid such people are several times, as if intelligence was a defense against making a mistake. It's not. People walk into props for a multitude of reasons, and not all of them were "they were just too stupid to realize the prop was there." That's why working around an aircraft is not the same as working around a car.

The biggest problem with the "stupid" theory is it implies that it can never happen to someone as smart as the poster, making it just that little bit more likely that it will.

Strolling into a propeller can happen to you, it's not a function of intelligence. This isn't FAILblog where everyone else is an idiot. If you want to learn to be safer then consider yourself human with human failings who could be next in line for a write-up here in incidents (or safety and training).

Anytime a person is around machinery of any kind weather it is a car, plane, tractor, combine, forklift, any automated machinery, or manual machinery that person needs to respect it or they could end up hurt. Yes, I would consider a person not smart for running into a running propeller partly because they should know better and because anytime you are around machines you need to be careful period. Yes, skydivers have it drilled into them to stay away from the front of the plane and always approach one from behind but if any of us actually need to hear that to really know that maybe they should pick another sport. Most every guy I know has worked on a car with the motor running at one point or another but none have stuck their hand into the belts or the fan(why) because they are smarter than that kind of action(not stupid).

Stupid is as stupid doesNobody cares how good or smart you were,if you do something stupid they will call you stupid. So stay alert, and pay attention, and try not to do anything stupid. I do not consider myself above average in intelligence by any measure. I have seen people who were considered by many to be very smart and successful,do some really stupid stuff. When a smart person does something stupid are we suppose to say"wow they are so smart for doing that,because they are really a smart person"?

>When a smart person does something stupid are we suppose to say"wow >they are so smart for doing that,because they are really a smart person"?

Nope! Nor should you say "wow, that was really stupid, I'll never do anything that stupid" (which is what a LOT of skydivers say after incidents like this.) The best mindset is "wow, a heads up woman walked into a prop. I'm heads up - that could happen to _me_. I better be more careful."

(And please note that if you want to say "it was a stupid thing to do" that's fine - because it is indeed a stupid thing to do. As long as we recognize that even smart people do stupid things, we can learn from incidents like this one.)

Nope! Nor should you say "wow, that was really stupid, I'll never do anything that stupid" (which is what a LOT of skydivers say after incidents like this.) The best mindset is "wow, a heads up woman walked into a prop. I'm heads up - that could happen to _me_. I better be more careful."

I "heads up" persons would think twice about walking towards the business end of a plane. This was NOT a "heads up" person.

Most people are not. The majority are either average or below average, with only the upper thrid really being 'heads up'.

Knowing that being 'heads up' is not a prerequisite for ridnig in a plane, you can't fault this girl for being who she is and ending up in an unfamiliar environment.

Is it common sense not to walk into a prop? Yes. Is it common sense to an 'average' person where that prop is when it's dark and she hasn't been trained how to conduct yourself on the ramp of an airport? Not so much, as this case indicates.

Let's face it, 99% of the US has been 'sanitized' for our protection. There are signs, and warnings, markings on curbs, stairs and walkways making sure people don't get hurt. The vast majority of machinery people come into contact with has no external moving parts that present a snag or pinch hazzard, all of those are kept under a protective cover.

I work in a machine shop enviroment from time to time, I also work on motorcycles and with power tools almost every day. I understand from these experiences how to conduct myself around machinery with regards to personal safety.

The girl who walked into the prop was a model. When do you suspect was the last time she ran a hydraulic press, or turned some stock down on a lathe? The answer is never, and with no experience around machinery, and no training with regards to aircraft, she made a mistake that others (who were trained as such) have made in the past. They get focused on one thing and walk right through the invisible prop arc. Let's face it, you can stand 6 inches from the prop or 6 feet from the prop, and it all feels and sounds about the same. It's not until you make contact does it become apparent that you're too close. The prop wash doesn't feel all that different between climbing out of the cabin, and walking right up to it.

She may very well have been dumb, but she was absolutely in a new-to-her, very dangerous envorinment with no training or direct supervision. Even a genuis could have made the same mistake.

So it is not stupid if a genius walks into a spinning prop? You can forget to pull while being heads up? So the guy who put honey on his baby so he could film the 500+pound bear licking it off in yellowstone park was not being stupid because he was not used to being around bears? Interesting.

That's the thing. Sometimes even the best skydivers on the planet forget to pull, or pull the wrong handle. That's why they have AAD's - and why sometimes those AAD's save the best of the best.

And that's why even then, some of them die.

If you think that there are people heads up enough to never make a fatal mistake in this sport you may be in for a rude awakening someday.

dude seriously, name ONE person who will tell you that they FORGOT to pull. get an act that actually pans out will you.

to Dave Lepka, Granted the model may not be mechanically minded, but I doubt that she would intentionally stick her hand in a spinning blender. if she has enough nous to not do that she should also know that the spinning end of a plane is dangerous.

>dude seriously, name ONE person who will tell you that they FORGOT to pull.

Since many of them are dead it would be hard to get them to say anything.

But of the people who survived -

The two people at Quincy 1994 that were on the first helicopter load after the storm on Wednesday. Both forgot to pull. Cypres saved both of them. Kirlin was there within 30 seconds in a golf cart to kick them both out. I watched it all from 1000 feet away.

The four way team that had all four of their dytters reset by circling at 13000 for 20 minutes. Four cypres saves. All were "waiting for the beep."

Or if you don't believe them go to the CYPRES save website and see for yourself. Here are two:

============================== 20.July 2000 Alabama, USA Expert CYPRES A jumper was working on head down and forgot to pull his main. The CYPRES fired at 750 ft.

16. February 1997 Zwartberg, Belgium Expert CYPRES After a solo jump from 6500 ft. a skydiver couldn't find his ripcord, went unstable and tried to become stable again. Due to these procedures he forgot altitude and time. CYPRES activated his reserve. ====================

If you think that there are people heads up enough to never make a fatal mistake in this sport you may be in for a rude awakening someday. dude seriously, name ONE person who will tell you that they FORGOT to pull. get an act that actually pans out will you.

I have been there when they scraped the remains off of the runway, while another plane is waiting to dump the next load.

I've seen alot of AAD saves in the last 20 years,and none were because the skydivers were incapacitated. And no matter how you try to rationalize being saved by an AAD because you lost awareness,it still sounds pretty stupid. The most important thing to do on any skydive is to pull,pull on time,pull on time stable if possible.You have to pull to live! The only acceptable reason for not pulling on time is if you are incapacitated in someway. If you have your ass saved by the AAD because you forgot where you were,you are a dumbass. I am not saying it could never happen to me,but it is still very stupid forgetting to pull and I sure would feel like a dumbass if I put myself there. I would have to seriously think about whether I should continue skydiving if I forgot to pull (if I survived). I've felt dumb enough the 8 times I've landed out and 2 of those were emergency exits and 3 were reserve rides. I would have to say forgetting to pull is probably more stupid than walking into a spinning prop. And relying on your audible alone was always considered a bad idea.Has this philosophy changed now?Should we never look at our altimeter or the ground anymore? Just because a 4-way team forgets to pull doesn't make it less stupid. Why are so many people trying to defend stupid acts?

I've seen alot of AAD saves in the last 20 years,and none were because the skydivers were incapacitated. And no matter how you try to rationalize being saved by an AAD because you lost awareness,it still sounds pretty stupid. The most important thing to do on any skydive is to pull,pull on time,pull on time stable if possible.You have to pull to live!

I tend to regard successful AAD fires as a bounce that didn't happen. The events leading up to that point need careful evaluation and EFFECTIVE corrective action should be taken.

They were in freefall. They didn't pull because they were doing something else and pulling apparently slipped their minds. Play all the word games you want; they are alive today because their Cypres, fortunately, DID remember to pull. Many people have not been so lucky.